[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 10, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D473-D474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 24 public bills, H.R. 1801-
1824; and 8 resolutions, H.J. Res. 57; and H. Res. 255-256, 258-262 
were introduced.                                         
  Pages H3159-61
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H3161-62
Report Filed: A report was filed today as follows:
  H. Res. 257, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1231) to 
amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require that each 5-year 
offshore oil and gas leasing program offer leasing in the areas with 
the most prospective oil and gas resources, to establish a domestic oil 
and natural gas production goal, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 112-
74).                                                         
Page H3159
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Graves (GA) to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H3117
Recess: The House recessed at 12:06 p.m. and reconvened at 2 p.m. 
                                                             Page H3118
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest chaplain, Reverend Jane 
Wood, Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, Rockville, 
Maryland.                                                    
  Page H3118
Whole Number of the House: The Speaker announced to the House that, in 
light of the resignation of the gentleman from Nevada, Mr. Heller, the 
whole number of the House is adjusted to 432.                
  Page H3118
Recess: The House recessed at 2:14 p.m. and reconvened at 4 p.m. 
                                                             Page H3119
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measure:
  Assessing Progress in Haiti Act: H.R. 1016, amended, to measure the 
progress of relief, recovery, reconstruction, and development efforts 
in Haiti following the earthquake of January 12, 2010.       
  Page H3126
  Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act: The House began 
consideration of H.R. 1229, to amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands 
Act to facilitate the safe and timely production of American energy 
resources from the Gulf of Mexico. Consideration is expected to resume 
tomorrow, May 11th.                             
  Pages H3120-26 H3131-47
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment recommended by the Committee on 
Natural Resources now printed in the bill shall be considered as 
adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. The bill, as 
amended, shall be considered as the original bill for the purpose of 
further amendment under the five-minute rule and shall be considered as 
read.                                                        
Page H3131
Rejected:
  Polis amendment (No. 1 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) that 
sought to require safety review of permits to take into consideration 
all applicable safety, environmental and fisheries laws (by a recorded 
vote of 167 ayes to 245 noes, Roll No. 299);      
Pages H3132-34, H3141
  Garamendi amendment (No. 2 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) that 
sought to implement the Commission's recommendation by requiring that 
in reviewing a drilling permit, the Secretary consult with an 
independent drilling safety organization not affiliated with the oil 
industry trade association (by a recorded vote of 169 ayes to 240 noes, 
Roll No. 300);                                 
Pages H3134-35, H3141-42
  Markey amendment (No. 3 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) that 
sought to implement basic offshore drilling safety reforms recommended 
by the independent BP spill commission. The Commission found that the 
root causes of the BP spill were ``systematic'' and could have been 
prevented. The amendment would set specific new minimum standards for 
blow-out preventers, cementing and well design (by a recorded vote of 
176 ayes to 237 noes, Roll No. 301); and       
Pages H3135-37, H3142-43
  Hastings (FL) amendment (No. 10 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) 
that sought to amend the bill to emphasize quality of court decisions 
instead of speed of court decisions.                     
Pages H3145-46
Proceedings Postponed:
  Hanabusa amendment (No. 4 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) that 
seeks to state that the Secretary shall not issue an offshore drilling 
permit

[[Page D474]]

without certifying that the applicant has calculated a worst-case 
discharge scenario for the proposed drilling operations; and has 
demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the applicant 
possesses the capability and technology to respond immediately and 
effectively to such worst-case discharge scenario;       
Pages H3137-38
  Holt amendment (No. 6 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) that 
seeks to strike a provision in the underlying bill that would ``deem'' 
drilling permits approved after 60 days even if the necessary safety 
and environmental reviews have not be completed. The amendment leaves 
in place a timeline for approving drilling permits, but prevents 
permits from being ``deemed'' approved before the safety review has 
been completed;                                          
Pages H3138-40
  Polis amendment (No. 7 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) that 
seeks to lift timeline requirements if the agency lacks an adequate 
budget or lacks staff expertise to properly review permits; 
                                                         Pages H3140-41
  Hastings (FL) amendment (No. 8 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) 
that seeks to require a detailed description of the extent to which and 
by when any oil found on the leased property will decrease the price of 
crude oil and at the pump for hardworking Americans;     
Pages H3143-44
  Deutch amendment (No. 9 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) that 
seeks to strike section 202 of H.R. 1229, so that states outside of the 
5th Circuit can have their courts hear civil actions relating to energy 
projects in the Gulf of Mexico; and                      
Pages H3144-45
  Hastings (FL) amendment (No. 11 printed in part A of H. Rept. 112-73) 
that seeks to strike section 207 of the bill which pertains to 
limitations on attorneys' fees.                          
Pages H3146-47
  H. Res. 245, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was 
agreed to on May 5th.
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate by the Clerk and 
subsequently presented to the House today appears on page H3118.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Three recorded votes developed during the 
proceedings of today and appear on pages H3141, H3141-42 and H3142-43. 
There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 12 noon and adjourned at 9:39 p.m.